"Honestly, sir, I'm still not convinced that anything that started out in a samovar should be this color."

"Technically, this didn't," Talia points out, one corner of her mouth twitching higher than the other despite what look like halfhearted attempts to stop her amusement from showing on her face, "if we're going by what that translator said - though I wouldn't, personally, at least where details are concerned."

"Well," and Sinclair's eyes twinkle, just a little, "there's only one way to find out--" he raises his cup gamely enough, takes a sip, swallows, and promptly pulls an expressive face indeed.